Aframomum limbatum (Oliv. & D.Hanb.) K.Schum.

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/117208250/124285310

Conservation

LC - least concern

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation

Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident

Zingiberaceae, J.M. Lock. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1985

Morphology General Habit

Rhizomes 2-5 mm. in diameter, extensive.

Morphology General Scales

Scales membranous, pale brown, not persistent, to 4.5 cm. long.

Morphology General Shoots

Leafy shoots 2-5 m. tall.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves narrowly obovate to elliptic, 25-33 × 5-6.5 cm., rather abruptly caudate-acuminate, base asymmetrical, cuneate, glabrous above, sparsely appressed pilose on the lamina beneath, margins and midrib beneath with dense rufous appressed ascending hairs; nerves widely spaced, 13-21 per 5 mm. beneath, 6-8 per 5 mm. above; petiole 4-6 mm. long, rufous hairy; ligule coriaceous, 3-5 mm. long, rounded, with minute hairs all over the outer surface, and spreading longer hairs on the margins; sheaths lightly reticulate with minute red-brown prickle-like hairs in the alveolae.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences 2(-3)-flowered, on the rhizomes, ascending, only the apices of the calyces and the petaloid parts emerging from the soil.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Peduncles

Peduncle 2-5 cm. long; bracts narrowly oblong, to 3.5 × 1 cm., papery, fugaceous, glabrous except for a small tuft of hairs at the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Calyx tubular, 3-8 cm. long, split ± 1 cm. down one side, divided apically into 2-3 triangular teeth which bear a mixture of short appressed hairs and reddish glands.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals pale mauve or whitish, the posterior elliptic, obtuse, concave, ± 5 × 2.5 cm.; laterals narrowly oblong, obtuse, ± 5 × 1.5 cm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Labellum

Labellum to 9.5 cm. long, the free portion suborbicular, ± 6 cm. in diameter, pale mauve or whitish with an orange-yellow patch at the base.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Free filament ligulate, 2 cm. long; anther subterminal, ± 12 mm. long, the basal 7 mm. dehiscent; apex 3-lobed, the apical lobe triangular, retuse, 1 mm. long, the lateral lobes narrowly triangular, 4 × 1.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary

Ovary glabrous, with a solid cylindrical projection from the apex.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Style filiform, glabrous; stigma trumpet-shaped with a marginal row of short straight hairs.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Fruit subterranean, depressed-spherical, 3-lobed, ± 4 × 2.5 cm., with an apical projection ± 4 mm. long formed from the solid apex of the ovary.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds subspherical with one flattened side, shiny, blackish, 3.5-4 mm. long.

Figures

Fig. 6.

Habitat

Moist forest undergrowth, probably where disturbed; 250-800 m.

Distribution

not known elsewhere K7 T3 T6